| Title: | T. A. Emmett, New York to Robert Simms, Belfast. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1010 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Emmet, Thomas Addis/39 |
| Year | 1807 |
| Sender | Emmett, Thomas Addis |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | prob. a lawyer; wants to get |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | New York, USA |
| Destination | Belfast, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Simms, Robert |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | friends |
| Source | T 1815/9: Copied by Permission of the Presbyterian Historical Society, Fisherwick Place, Belfast. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 8809108 |
| Date | 02/11/1807 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 21:10:1993. |
| Word Count | 792 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Robert Simms Esq Belfast New York November 2nd 1807 Dear Simms I was extremely gratified by the receipt of yours of the 22nd of August last, & particularly so by finding that you approved of the steps I was induced to take here in politics. I have been compelled by a sense of duty, & the foolish scurrillity [scurrility?] of the, federalists to make myself very prominent by my controversy with Rufus King - Their malignity if they had succeeded would have pursued me with as much fury & effect as that of the Orangemen in Ireland but thank God they are powerless. Even beaten as they are, they combined to do me every professional injury in their power - but finding the combination of no avail, a sense of individual interest forces them to abandon it. Rufus King is placed in the public opinion just when he ought to be; & unless the federalists possess the power of reviving the Dead, I hope and believe he will never again do much mischief - but that they can do a great deal too much is manifest from the [issue?] of Burr's trial - That man, whom they hated while he appeared to be a Republican, whom they never tolerated till he became a [Renegade?], and never openly upheld until he attempted to run the Union & establish a monarchy within the territory of the United States - that man is acquitted by their intrigues and interference - by their partiality - & exertions, tho [though?] his guilt is fully Developed, & no man affects to Doubt it - It is very possible however that his acquittal will do good - it will cause a revival of some Defective parts of our Criminal Law, & perhaps an investigation of the conduct & opinions of some of our Judges, who stand at the head of the federalists, & continued in office notwithstanding the over throw of their Party. Jefferson's Administration is I think entitled to all your praise - & as he will not serve again, I think his probable (the present Vice President) will equally claim your approbation for his uprightness, &, what in these times is very necessary, for his Decision & firmness - On the subject of war, most people judge here differently from what I apprehend you do in Europe - We expect it. The calamities it will produce are known to everybody - universally spoken off & admitted - the ruin of our Commerce & of every occupation connected with it is held up in the strongest point of view by the English Agents & factors - & underated by no one - but nevertheless (except the English agents & factors) almost everyone is ready & willing to bear his share of those inconveniences & #PAGE 2 calamities. With the English Agents & factors must be counted the leading Mercantile federalists in the Commercial cities - if in [truth?] they are not the same thing with different names - but the other federalists in the Country parts partake very much of the general Spirit. The claims of Great Britian [Britain?] to the right of search & impressment might have remained undecided upon, but for the affair of the Chesapeak & the report of the West India Committee which insists upon the neccessity [necessity?] of destroying almost all neutral commerce with belligerents - these have now brought into discussion the whole of her pretensions & awakened the remembrance of all her conduct towards America since 1793. The result is that the most moderate feel the necessity of repressing those pretensions & resenting that combat at some period; & the most reflecting imagine that no period can promise better than the present. The first consequences of the war are admitted & calculated upon - but the ultimate effects of it on the colonial system manufactures & commerce of England, & even upon [her?] manual strength if she should fail in the Baltic, & be unable to supply herself with Naval stores from thence an anticipated as fully equivalent to the misfortunes of its commencement French politics have nothing to say to these sentiments - tho [though?] undoubtedly in the event of a rupture, America would endeavour to turn to the best advantage the alliance with france & in the West [Indies?] [seas?] was the two powers united, & the ports of each opened to the cruising Ships of the other would embarrass England much beyond what she had even experienced in that quarter - Adieu my good friend Mrs [E?] & my three eldest unite in the most affectionate remembrance with [yours?] very sincerely T.A. Emmet I request you will remember me most kindly to your brother & such of my old friends as still feel an interest for me. |
